Effingham County commissioners are expected to consider a unique proposal from a developer to put in water and sewer lines when they meet Tuesday.
Mickey Kicklighter, representing the Old Augusta Development Group, said the builders would be willing to extend the water and sewer lines it puts in for its Grandview project to meet the county’s line at the intersection of Old Augusta and Chimney roads.
“That agreement asks you, in lieu of us providing a letter of credit, the Old Augusta Development Group would pay for and install the water and sewer lines from Grandview back from Old Augusta Road to its intersection at Chimney Road,” he said at the commissioners’ April 17 meeting.
Under the proposal, if the Grandview water and sewer lines reach the intersection before the county’s work does, then Grandview’s contractor would pick up the project from that point and work toward wherever the county’s lines were at that point at no extra cost to the county.
“If we got there and your people weren’t there,” Kicklighter said, “we would continue and meet your contractor wherever he was. From Chimney Road point on forward, our contractor would be paid at the rate your contractor is paid, or less, if our contract is lesser.”
Commission Chairwoman Verna Phillips said she was hesitant about putting any timelines on the work.
“That’s what got us into a lot of problems we’ve been trying to dig ourselves out of the last two years,” she said.
Kicklighter said a timeline wasn’t necessary.
“But we would make sure the construction keeps moving forward,” he said. “It would not cost the county an extra dime, but it would keep the project moving.”
Kicklighter said the work would be completed under the county’s design.
Kicklighter estimated the cost of putting in lines from Old Augusta Road to the Chimney Road intersection at $2.5 million, which the Old Augusta Development Group would pay for and install. They would recoup their expenses through tap-in fees from that intersection back to the Grandview property.
Assistant County Attorney Eric Gotwalt said Kicklighter’s plan is consistent with other developments.
